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Stocks to watch for Friday, March 16:

Ameriprise Financial (AMP) authorized a share repurchase through March 15, 2009, of up to $1 billion. The Minneapolis financial planning and services company also boosted its quarterly dividend to 15 cents from 11 cents.

Bear Stearns (BSC) posted a 7.7% rise in earnings, and the firm said problems in the subprime-mortgage market had only a minor impact on its performance.

Celebrate Express (BDAY) said its board has completed its strategic review and recommended that the company remain a standalone entity. The company also said it expects to report third-quarter revenue between $16.5 million and $16.7 million, down from $18.8 million a year ago. Celebrate Express also expects to report a loss ranging from 2 cents to 4 cents a share. For 2007, the company expects sales to range from $84 million to $87 million and a loss to range from 1 cent to 8 cents a share.

General Motors (GM) is tightening its financial-reporting procedures and beefing up its accounting staff following a review that concluded its controls were ineffective.

Manitowoc (MTW) raised its fiscal 2007 earnings forecast to a range of $4.20 to $4.30 a share from its earlier view of $3.85 to $4 a share. The maker of lifting equipment also said it expects fiscal first quarter earnings to exceed the average Wall Street analysts' estimate of 79 cents a share by roughly 10%.

Morgans Hotel Group (MHGC) said its fourth-quarter loss narrowed to $1.06 million, or 3 cents a share, from $1.07 million a year earlier, as revenue rose 10%. The company had an initial public offering in February 2006 and didn't report a per-share result for the year-ago period. The New York company's revenue rose to $77.3 million from $70.1 million in the year-ago period. On average, analysts expected revenue of $78 million, according a poll by Thomson Financial. For 2007, the company expects revenue of more than $300 million, compared with Wall Street's estimate of $307.1 million.

OccuLogix (OCCX) said its financial statements for fiscal year 2006 include a going concern qualification from its auditor, Ernst & Young LLP.

OpenTV (OPTV) said it swung to a fourth-quarter loss of $3.42 million, or 3 cents a share, from net income of $2.9 million, or 2 cents a share, a year earlier. The San Francisco provider of enabling technologies for advanced digital television services said revenue rose 10% to $26.7 million from $24.2 million a year ago. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected a loss of a penny a share on revenue of $25.7 million.

Pacific Sunwear (PSUN) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $9.06 million, or 13 cents a share, down from $47 million, or 63 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The fourth-quarter 2006 results include asset impairment and inventory write-down charges of $16.6 million, or 24 cents a share. Excluding items, the company posted a profit of $25.7 million, or 37 cents a share diluted share, compared with $45.2 million, or 60 cents a share, in the same quarter last year.

QAD (QADI) said its fiscal fourth-quarter net income fell to $4.7 million, or 14 cents a share, from $11.7 million, or 35 cents a share a year earlier. Last year's earnings included a $10.7 million tax benefit. The provider of enterprise software and services said revenue for the quarter ended Jan. 31 rose to $66.5 million from $60.1 million.

Silicon Storage Technology (SSTI) said it plans to voluntarily review its historical stock option grant practices since its 1995 initial public offering. As a result, the memory products maker said it won't file its annual 10-K report on time and doesn't expect to submit it by the extended filing date as well.

Six Flags (SIX) reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $189.7 million, compared with a net loss of $139 million in the same quarter last year. The theme park operator posted a net loss applicable to common stockholders of $195.2 million, or $2.07 a share, versus $144.5 million, of $1.55 a share, in the year-ago period. Loss from continuing operations came in at $1.12 a share compared with $1.20 a share last year. Revenue slipped to $104.3 million from $104.5 million, while attendance fell 16%. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting a per-share loss of $1.18.

Southwest Airlines (LUV) said its board authorized a new share repurchase program to acquire up to $300 million of the company's stock.

Tektronix (TEK) reported fiscal third-quarter net earnings of $22.8 million, or 28 cents a share, down from $26.5 million, or 32 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding items, earnings from continuing operations came in at $31.1 million, or 38 cents a share, compared with $31.1 million, or 37 cents a share, for the same period last year. The maker of testing and measurement systems said revenue in the quarter ended Feb. 24 rose to $265.8 million from $262.1 million in the same quarter last year. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting, on average, a per-share profit of 37 cents on revenue of $280 million.

TLC Vision (TLCV) said its fourth-quarter loss narrowed to $2.36 million, or 3 cents a share, from $3.02 million, or 4 cents a share, a year earlier. The St. Louis provider of eye-care services said revenue increased 5% to $63.5 million from $60.3 million a year ago. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected fourth-quarter revenue of $64.9 million.

Tribune (TRB) is re-evaluating the economics of its "self-help" plan, which likely would involve taking on more debt, amid a continued drop in revenue from print ads.

UBS's (UBS) investment-bank head, Ken Moelis, may be preparing to leave the firm. He is said to be frustrated by the pace of UBS's moves into new markets.

Universal Display (PANL) said its fourth-quarter net loss narrowed to $4.41 million, or 14 cents a share, from a year-earlier loss of $4.64 million, or 17 cents a share. The light-emitting diode technology company's revenue grew 11% to $2.54 million from $2.3 million. Analysts expected a fourth-quarter loss of 13 cents a share, on revenue of $3.05 million, according to Thomson Financial.

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